Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with US President Joe Biden on Tuesday next week, the Prime Minister's Office announced today, Reuters reported. The Israeli leader will fly to the USA tomorrow, BTA reported.
Biden and Netanyahu last met in person in Tel Aviv shortly after the attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement "Hamas" on October 7 last year. According to Israeli media, the discussions in Washington are expected to focus on efforts to cease fire in the conflict in the Gaza Strip and the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, DPA notes.
There is already criticism in Israel about Netanyahu's upcoming trip, with calls for the prime minister to leave the country only after an agreement is reached to release the hostages.
Netanyahu is due to address both houses of the US Congress on Wednesday regarding Israel's military actions in the Gaza Strip.
Relations between Biden and Netanyahu are strained. The Israeli prime minister sparked a recent controversy with a video in which he sharply criticized the US government for withholding arms shipments.